In conversation with
Remko Haasnoot, product manager Space-in Space solutions: "Good acoustics make working environments more pleasant and more productive."
Good acoustics in the working environment improve the well-being and productivity of employees. Acoustics therefore play a prominent role in our vitalizing work environments. For example, we offer acoustic solutions such as screens and speakers. And we give advice on how to control and improve noise. Our Space-in-Space Solutions product manager Remko Haasnoot talks about the importance of good acoustics in the working environment: "Noise pollution makes employees less productive. Investing in acoustics is therefore not an unnecessary luxury."
The world of sound and acoustics
"As product manager Space-in-Space Solutions and Softseating, I am responsible for the development and implementation of new products within our range. These developments are often caused by a demand from the market. The Ahrend Qabin for example was introduced because of the need of employees for a quiet workplace in the open-plan office. In addition to product development, I advise on specific, technical issues in acoustics. For example, about reverberation times or the noise level of ventilation. I find sound an intriguing subject. It is increasingly present in society. And noise pollution is starting to become a serious public health problem."
‘According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, exposure to noise is becoming an increasing public health problem.’
RIVM: noise is a health problem
"According to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment – the RIVM – exposure to noise is becoming an increasing public health problem in the Netherlands. Research by the WHO shows that noise from road traffic, after particulate matter, is the greatest health risk caused by the environment: it leads to poor sleep, contributes to obesity and cardiovascular disease. But noise pollution also poses a serious risk within walls. For example, surveys among employers show that 50% of employees experience negative consequences – such as stress and lower productivity – due to noise pollution in the workplace."
Empowered millennials
"Millennials or generation Y in particular – born between 1985 and 2000 – are critical of a noisy environment (Oxford economics research). These employees are in the prime of their working lives, are articulate and clearly express their opinion about the working environment. They believe that their employer should address noise and distractions in the workplace with specific strategies and programs. At the same time, this generation of employees offers promising opportunities to influence the approach to workplace improvement. There are a lot of them and they are used to nothing but an open working environment. In today's tight labor market, it is important to find and retain talent. So it pays to take into account the wishes of millennials and invest in a pleasant working environment."
‘Surveys among employers show that 50% of employees experience negative consequences due to noise pollution in the workplace.’
Acoustics: how sound behaves
"To achieve good acoustic solutions, a definition of acoustics is needed first. Acoustics is the way in which sound behaves in a room. Poor acoustics are experienced when sound lingers due to reverberation or reflection of sound. Anyone in an empty room will have to deal with an annoying echo. In a very small space – for example a phone booth – you notice that your voice is reflected off the wall. That is not pleasant. Absorption can remove reverberation, but too much absorption gives you a 'dead' sound and you no longer hear yourself. In short: pleasant acoustics require a good balance. And that requires a combination of solutions."
Poor acoustics take fifteen minutes
"Poor acoustics are one of the biggest annoyances of employees in their work environment. This is not only at the expense of their well-being, but also of their productivity. For example, research shows that noise pollution makes employees less productive. Every time someone in the workplace is interrupted by a conversation from colleagues, ten to fifteen minutes of productivity is lost. That amounts to a loss of productivity of about seven hours per week per employee. So it's no luxury to put energy into good acoustics in the workplace."
‘Research shows that noise pollution makes employees less productive.’
Choosing a workplace that suits your work
"There is a clear pre- and post-covid era in the field of work. Before covid, working from home was less common. After covid, it has become commonplace. Nowadays, people feel a greater need for meetings and social contacts again. This makes the function of the office more important again. You often see that people try to split their work: working from home days if they want to work in a focused way. And office days for collaboration and consultation. But in practice, all those activities vary in a day. That is why employees in the office must be able to choose for themselves which workplace, at what time, best suits their work. By taking this into account, you increase the well-being and productivity of employees. And you make the office attractive again as a meeting place."
‘Employees should be able to choose for themselves which workplace, at what time, best suits their work.’
Indoor environment quality
"In every office environment, the Environmental Quality (IEQ) aspects must be in order. Think of factors such as air quality, temperature, daylight and good acoustics. It is important that employees themselves have control over the height of the temperature, the strength of the lighting and the amount of ventilation. The right temperature increases comfort. And the right amount of lighting increases productivity. Employees must also have influence on the acoustics. For example, by opting for an enclosed workplace such as an acoustic box. That choice for acoustics is perhaps the most important. Because the acoustics factor affects comfort and productivity."
Acoustic solutions
"There are three different types of acoustic solutions for noise pollution in the office. The first is to counteract noise with screens between desks that dampen the sound, such as the Ahrend S25 and S50 panels. Or with large screens around a workplace that block noise from both sides, such as the Ahrend Retreat. The second solution is more focused on the individual and can be found in wall systems, a concentration corner, or ear chairs that enclose you, such as the Kaigan. The third solution direction is the Space-in-Space solutions, in which you remove the sound source from the work floor. And where people can isolate themselves from the workplace to focus. Examples of this are the Ahrend Qabin, Ahrend Flexbox or Ahrend Cerene."
Mix of solutions
"A well-designed working environment combines the three solutions. For example, in a zone of the office you will find workplaces with screens in between, where the sound is muffled and where people can work quietly. Another zone is set up for meetings and conversations. And with acoustic speakers in different sizes – from two to six people – you create places where people can work or consult quietly, without being disturbed. Or to disturb others."
The benefits of good acoustics
"The benefit of good acoustics lies in healthier and more productive employees. By combining solutions, products and advice, we create a pleasant working environment for employees. Of course, in addition to acoustics, we also take other factors into account. Such as light, air and ergonomics. All in all, this leads to a vitalizing working environment, in which employees work every day with pleasure and energy."
Tip!
"Place an acoustic box close to the workstations. That invites people to make that short call in such a box, instead of continuing to call at the workplace and keep others from their work."
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